Alabama home and the dirt where daddy broke his back in labor
Working for the man, white folks they all live high on the hog.
Willie's 17 and people shake their head when he goes by
Act just like a man and the only friend he's got's a one-eyed dog.
Lookout Willie boy,
Don't raise your head so high,
Big man's going to get you by and by.
Lock him in the jail, the way he walks it makes the blood run angry.
He's living with a girl, skin as white as snow out on the hill.
So the sheriff come around and when he kicks the dog, well Willie's mind went crazy.
Left him on the ground, white man that he didn't mean to kill.
Lookout Willie boy
Don't lay the white man down.
Big man's going to get you by and by.
Third day on the road, Willie heard the hound dogs all a-calling.
It made him think of home and he clear forgot what he was running for.
Kneeled down by the road just like he was somewhere years before.
One shot brought him down, just as he was reaching for the dog.
Look out Willie boy,
Don't raise your head so high,
Big man's going to get you by and by.
They laid him in the ground, just a muddy hole, the boy don't need no preacher.
No stone marked the grave, no man come on Sunday there to moan.
Well the stories back in town, how Willie Boy, he wouldn't run no more. Out there Willie lies, a one-eyed dog he cries till nearly dawn.
Hey look out Willie boy
Don't raise your head so high
Big man going to get you by and by.
